Ask Nar Shaddaa This Life

[Duke Winters]

"We needed to get out of there. They got out of the way." Duke eased down his speed, letting the speeder and both of them catch a break and finally breathe. One moment they were fighting an assassin, the next it was possible the police force was after him or both of them. He followed Trys directions and drove normally to not draw any suspicion onto them. The entire time Duke had his gaze out the window and scanning for any police vehicles, making sure they weren't be followed or simply go right into a trap.

When they took the right and approached the tunnel, it was two lanes and he got in the left one and attempted to avoid as much traffic as possible. Duke kept his gaze forward, the lights installed in the tunnel constantly breaks in between them and lighting up the interior of the speeder for a brief moment before disappearing and then lighting them up once more. It was relatively peaceful for a few moments but then the tunnel started to change color as red and blue reflected off the walls. Duke glanced into his rearview mirror and could see a single cop car that was barreling down their lane at full speed.

He shifted the speeder over into the next lane, hoping with everything he would just continue on. His blaster out of nowhere was in one of his hands, it resting between his legs in case it came to that. Duke continued glancing in the side mirror, "Please keep going, keep going." He wasn't a cop killer and he never wanted to be one but his back would be up against the wall if they got pulled over. When the cop was about to pass them, his grip on the blaster tightened as he turned his head straight so they couldn't get a clean look at him. Thankfully, they flew right past the two and he out a massive sigh of relief.

He stowed away the blaster and wiped his forehead, wanting to just get out of the tunnel and reach where they were going. Following Trys directions a little longer, they finally arrived at a dingy house that was somewhat bigger than Duke's old apartment but not much. There were in a sort of poor neighborhood but not completely ran by gangs as life still progressed there. "We're here." It was another safe house that hadn't been burned yet and he hoped that by hiding under the police noses they wouldn't find them as easily.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys sighed in relief once they finally arrived at their destination. She was beginning to think they would die in a fiery crash at the rate they were weaving through traffic. She glanced up at the safe house, and it reminded her of some of the dwellings in the poor Coruscant districts. Trys curiously looked around, noting that it was a great place to hide as it was easy to fit in with the common Nar Shaddaa public.

She got out of the speeder, realizing that she was still trembling slightly from the experience. Trys allowed Duke to lead the way inside. They passed by a few bums on the road, and there was someone dead or passed out in the hallway into the entrance. Trys had to step over the person, marveling at everything here.

Once they made it inside, Trys finally felt a sense of relief. She wasn’t sure that they wouldn’t be found out, but it was better than being where they were before. She opened up her medpack again, turning to Duke, “We need to get you patched up,” She said, implying that he needed to take off his upper clothing. He would see she had done this many times and her expression was blank as she waited for him.

Trys wouldn’t hesitate to get to work right away, and she spoke during it, “Who can you really trust here?” She asked with a sense of dread, “People in the academy...people in the police force….people like Ivy?” She hesitated before the last question, “Syndicates set the law here. How do you ever know which side you’re on?”

 

[Duke Winters]

Duke just ignored the bums like Trys, keeping his head low until they finally reached the front door. He reached into his pack and pulled out the key, unlocking it quickly before stepping inside with her and shutting it behind them. Once all the locks were in place on the door, he immediately just dropped his bag and leaned against the wall, the injection from before wearing off after so long. When he pulled his arm away from his side, it revealed a blaster mark that only needed a few more centimeters before it fully hit him in the ribs.

When he glanced over at Trys, she already had a med pack out and open to take care of his wounds and hers. Duke just gave her a nod before reaching for the hem of his shirt and starting to pull up. The wound was sensitive and when the fabric moved it made him seethe in pain for a moment before the shirt was fully off. It revealed charred skin that felt like it was still freshly burning, at least for him. He walked over to a nearby table and pulled out a chair to sit down, making it easier for her to get to work.

She asked who he could really trust and Duke was just silent for a moment. That was the million-dollar question and one he couldn't wrap his head around. There were always sideways looks just because he was a Ranger and operated differently but he never expected anything like this. "I don't... I don't know." Then she asked him what side he was on and Duke stared down at her for a second, "I never fully trusted the force to keep my head but..." Trys was right, even if he hadn't trusted the force, he could've had a hand in helping the corrupt without even knowing about it. That could have made everything he had done pointless, everything his father did.

Duke just ignored completing his answer and rubbed his eyes for a moment, instead of trying to find a solution for them so that they could get out of this mess. "I've met a few people during my time here, I don't trust them but if I pay them then there shouldn't be a problem between us." As they sat there with Trys bandaging him, he couldn't help but chuckle softly at all, "It all went to shit quick, didn't it?"

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys could tell he was shaken at the revelation of everything that happened. She continued to apply the salve and bandages where appropriate, “You really took a beating out there,” Trys noted as she treated him. He hadn’t really let on how injured he had been. He ultimately saved their lives by rushing out after the assassin, and it was a fact she’d never forget.

When he spoke, Trys sighed, staring at his back for a moment, “Look, I’ll be honest with you,” She said after a moment, applying the final dabs and walking around to face him, “This is a hopeless endeavor. Being a Ranger here in Nar Shaddaa. You will never get the support you need, and either you’re trying to put every single person out there in prison or you’re working for crooks yourself. That’s the reality of it.”

She knew he wouldn’t want to hear this, but she also didn’t think he would be surprised by any of it. Trys turned away and lifted up her own shirt to reveal her back. She had large bruises on it, and he would be able to see some of her tattoos there, “Can you put some of the salve on?”

Trys continued gazing ahead, thinking about their predicament, “You can work in the mid rim as part of the Naboo task force. Or you can maybe go to Mon Calamari if you want to stay outer rim. But in Hutt space? It’s a waste of time and talent.”

 

[Duke Winters]

Duke glanced down at his body, noticing the bruises and scrapes that collected during his fight with Bo. "It was either that or we both got shot or worse." He always considered injuries just part of the job and did what he to in order to survive or protect others. Trys decided to continue battering him with the truth as he just sat there and took it. It made him realize he was on some endless and useless self quest after his father died by the gangs on the planet and it blinded him to what he was doing or in this case what he actually wasn't doing. "You're right."

When Trys was finished and lifted her shirt to ask for help, he extended his foot out to hook around the leg of a nearby chair and pulled it in near him for her to sit down. "Yeah, no problem." The blaster wound already felt much better and the bandage fit snuggly against his torso. It was still sensitive but it was much more manageable. "Thanks for patching me up by the way." When he applied the salve over her wound, his hands were gentle as he had experience patching up fellow officers whenever they were in a firefight. Duke's eyes drifted to the tattoos he could and he wondered what they meant but that was a question for another time.

While he spread the salve, his thoughts drifted slightly and he found himself just speaking them out loud, "My dad was killed by the gangs while he was on a case. They told me they drove up behind him and simply shot him in the head before driving off and that was it. Ever since then, I guess you're right, I have been on a hopeless endeavor to fix this place and thinking it would somehow bring justice to what happened to him." He didn't get why he blurt all that out but he felt like he was about to split if he didn't. Ivy was the only one who knew about his real father. His father taught him about covering his tracks and that meant he used a fake name as well when he was alive. The police didn't even know Duke was the previous Ranger's son.

When Trys suggested transferring to another task force, he internally agreed he had too but she wouldn't hear a verbal answer come out of him. She would still feel a bandage placed against her back as he continued addressing her wounds and repaying the favor. When he was finished, Duke dropped his hands to his lap before murmuring softly, "I can't leave yet, Trys." The truth about what happened needed to be found out, it was burning in his heart and an ache that couldn't be stopped until he found out.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys listened to the story, and she simply nodded at the thanks he gave her. In her eyes, it was the least she could do to patch him up after he saved her life. Once he was done, she slowly pulled her shirt back down, wincing slightly at the pain. Trys turned to look at him as she pondered on his story, and his decision not to leave yet.

“Who was the they that told you?” She couldn’t help but ask, “You know for sure that’s what happened? Saw the body and everything?” Trys bit her lip, looking down, “I’m sorry, I’m crossing the line,” She sighed as she looked down at her feet, “I grew up in the slums of Coruscant, and it taught me never to trust anything unless I see it for myself. I’ve been misled many times in my life.”

She met his gaze again, “I’m sorry about your father. But...would he want you to lead this life? To be on this chase to bring justice?” Trys chewed on her lip for a moment, “You know I have a son, so I can put myself in his shoes. I know he’d want you to get the kriff out of here and go where you can truly make a difference.”

 

[Duke Winters]

"That's exactly why I have to stay, at least for now. Some friends of my dad informed me but then again, who can you really count as friends on this planet?" In the span of a few hours, Duke learned the hard reality of that truth and didn't intend to make the same mistake again. "When I was told he died, I just accepted it and never checked his file once on what actually happened. Now, that I know how the department is truly ran, I need to know how he actually died." For the longest time he had put it off, having already lost one parent and not needing to relive the experience of losing another but it was time now. If no one was going to know the truth about his father, then at least Duke wanted to know that all his work wasn't at least nothing to him.

Duke's gaze met her's and when she asked if he would have wanted him to lead this life, he couldn't help but laugh softly despite the sharp pain that went through him. "You should have met my dad, I swear at times being a Ranger was important than me. When he died, that's when I knew I had to become one too." He had always resented the training and lessons he had been taught, it felt like his childhood was ripped away. But when his father died, he realized it was meant for preparing him for the real galaxy, the one that would chew someone up and spit them out without hesitation.

He gave Trys a nod, "Once, I found about my dad, I'll leave and head to Naboo or Mon Cal but right now, this is something I can't ignore." Letting out a slight sigh, Duke's eyes dropped to the ground for a few moments, clearly thinking things before finally returning his gaze back to her, "Even if all of it's true to what happened, I need to at least confirm it." Duke paused for a moment before speaking again, "I know you have a son and you've already been dragged into this more then you should have. If you don't want to, once the heat dies down I can set you up with one of my contacts." His memory went back to the apartment when it came to a nearly identical situation at the time but much different context. Duke understood that she had family and never held it against her and still wouldn't hold it against her if she decided to leave once the activity died down.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys grimaced when he mentioned sometimes it felt like being a ranger was more important to his dad than his son. She couldn’t help but do some self reflection, wondering if she came off the same way to her son. Trys made a point to contact him every single morning, but was that enough? Would he even let her realize if he ever felt alone? Or was that not the ‘manly’ thing to do.

She couldn’t help but smile when Duke brought up being set up with a contact, “I can take care of myself,” She cut him off, “I came back because I wanted to know exactly what was being covered up. An entire corrupt Ranger force...that’s certainly bigger than either of us could have bargained for,” Trys remained silent for a moment, weighing her options. She could understand where he was coming from, but she also couldn’t deny that he had saved her life. Despite being a criminal before, Trys had a sense of honor almost to a fault.

Trys finally looked up at him and sighed, “I won’t bail on you again,” She said at last, holding a hand up in case he prepared to protest, “I want to be cautious, yes, but I will help you unearth what you need so you can finally get the hell off this planet.”

She managed a smile after that, “Don’t ask me if I’m sure because I might change my mind. Where do we start?”

 

[Duke Winters]

Lines of concentrations went across Try's forehead, weighing the pros and cons of staying once again. When she came to her conclusion and told him that she wouldn't bail, Duke couldn't contain the smile that came to him. He was surprised, thankfully so and he was happy she was joining him. As of that moment, there was nobody on the planet that he could legitimately trust except her. Even though he was thankful she was staying, he was about to ask naturally if she was sure about this but she held up a hand to cut him off and he smartly shut up right then and there.

"Thank you, this means a lot for me." She was risking a lot and he wouldn't forget. They may have technically been even but to him, he now owed her a favor that she could repay at any time. "Trust me, this planet will be in the rearview mirror once we're done." That was a fact, he could barely stomach it anymore. The only reason he was able to now was because the priority of finding the truth about his father outweighed anything else. When she asked where to start, Duke offered up a grin before standing up from his chair with a slight groan as he slipped his shirt back on before heading over to the fridge. Opening the door, a shaft of light illuminated his face and when he reached inside, Trys would be able to hear the sound of glass clinking together.

He brought over a bottle of beer, placing the cap against the table before smacking the top to pop it off and handing it to her. Duke took his seat again before doing the same to his bottle and taking a healthy gulp of his drink. "That's the tricky part. The file's going to be located inside the department. There is a room in the basement level that keeps documentation of all officers that are K.I.A or M.I.A. I've never personally checked but my dad's file will be in that room." That was the biggest obstacle of their plan, they would have to sneak past all the other police members to actually get what they're searching for. The one advantage they had was that Duke knew the building like the back of his hand having lived on Nar Shaddaa for so long and working cases.

"If the file's there, I take a look and then we get out. If it's not... I'll leave anyway and I guess it was never meant to be." He shrugged slightly before taking another swig of his beer, wanting a healthy buzz to push away the dull stinging throughout his body.

 

[Trys Aran]

When Duke got up and retrieved the bottles from the fridge, Trys had to laugh, “How long have those been there?” She couldn’t help but quip. This place was run down, and she doubted he frequented here. However, it was clear that he was always prepared for the occasion. Trys was happy to take the bottle, popping it open and taking a sip of some crisp, cold beer. After the hell they had been through, it was a nice reprieve.

As he explained how they would have to get to the files, Trys pondered for a moment, “And there’s no other officer you can trust to go and get it for you?” She knew it was a waste to even ask, “Regardless, I don’t think they’ll expect you to walk back into the station after what happened. I don’t think anything will be under special lock down.”

Trys took another long sip, running her fingers through her hair. She glanced around at the small living quarters, wondering if there was even room for the two of them to crash for the night. Would she have to find alternative accommodations this late at night?

“There needs to be a diversion of some sort that puts them on call to go investigate,” Trys thought out loud, “That way we’ll only have a skeleton crew to sneak past to get the files. We should let the shitshow from tonight die down. We want them to think you bailed from the planet itself.”

 

[Duke Winters]

"I don't you want the answer to that question." The place was his backup and had stocked it a little while ago, at least it seemed like a little while ago as everything still tasted relatively the same. Even if the rest of the supplies were ruined, the brew wasn't wall too bad. Duke gave her a nod, giving his bottle a slight raise in the air before clinking it against hers as he took another gulp from it. There was always time to celebrate the little moments. "No, not an officer but there is one person who could help us, Ivy." The last time he had spoken to her, she had given him a warning about pursuing this further and look what had happened now.

"I don't know if she's fully reliable but I gotta believe she would hate the corruption in the department enough that we could work something out." Her father was killed just like his and she knew how it felt to lose someone like that at a young age. Duke managed to catch Trys glancing around the place to find a place to sleep and he chuckled softly before tilting his bottle towards the couch, "It folds out. I'll take that, you can take the room." He held up a hand before she could say anything, "Don't ask me If I'm sure, I may change my mind."

She made another valuable point, there had to be some sort of distraction that could draw everybody out. Duke couldn't hold back a grin, "It's gotta be big too if we want it to be successful." He went into his thoughts for a moment, wondering what would draw them out in force, "One of the contacts I mentioned may be able to help out. He's usually on the other side of the law but right now we need more options." Duke had one card up his sleeve that he could possibly use that would convince them to help. "You're right though, we need to wait for this to calm down tonight. They'll most likely be out in force tonight." He glanced out the nearby window, able to hear sirens in the distance but for a different crime, Nar Shadda being the beast that never sleeps.

Duke's thumb ran along the rim of his bottle, doing that a few times as different thoughts drifted in and out. Out of the blue, he glanced up to Trys before asking, "What made you become a Ranger?" He had mentioned his story but never heard hers. Did she already have her child before she picked up the badge or after? Ranger's had family but they were rarely kids unless they were near retirement.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys opened her mouth to argue about the bed, but he turned her own comment against her. She couldn’t help but laugh, something she didn’t do too often. He had a quirk to his personality that he retained despite being out in a place like this, and she found it genuine and likeable. She took another sip of her beer, listening as he explained what he had in mind.

She guessed that most people he knew were on the other side of the law, and she knew that lines were more blurred here. She could get up on her soap box about rules and regulations, but none of it mattered on a planet where crime decided the law. There was a moment of silence after he asked his question, and she pondered on it while taking a drink.

Outside, she could hear a drunk hobo singing at the top of his lungs. This was followed by what sounded like an old lady screeching at him to ‘shut the hell up’, followed by the sound of shattering glass and a cat screaming and hissing. Trys drummed her fingers on the table, taking another long swig.

“I was on the other side of the law,” She said without shame, “I was born in the underbelly of Coruscant. Never knew my dad, mom was constantly spiced up. You know, I ended up getting on the wrong side of the law,”Trys thought back to those days, “I went to school for a bit, got knocked up at 16 and dropped out. Dad didn’t want to be in the picture so it was just me. Thought I didn’t wanna keep it, but I wanted to be different than where I came from.”

Trys thought back to how overwhelmed and alone she had felt as a teenager and knowing she was going to have a child, “Actually, having my son was a blessing because it gave me the kick in the ass to get out of that life. I wanted to do right by him. I started working as an informant, and then got sponsorship to attend academy and the rest is history.”

She took another long swig, surprised at herself for divulging her story. She normally kept everything closely guarded, but she found it rather easy to talk to him. Duke was genuine in many ways, and he had his own stories to share. She didn’t have to worry about wearing masks near him.

“Families are hard when you’re a Ranger,” She said after a moment, gazing at him, “I guess you learned that pretty quick.”

 

[Duke Winters]

After he asked the question, they got treated with an interesting culmination of noises from a hobo singing, someone telling them to shut up and a cat possibly even joining in on quieting the hobo. Even though this planet could be miserable and swallow people up, like all places it had its quirks and it hit him that he would have to leave and possibly not return. It was his home but his dad always told him to prepare being on the move and he guessed it was for situations like these.

Trys answered his question and Duke listened intently, finding out that she didn't have it easy at all either. When she commented that she ended up on the other side of the law, he couldn't blame her. He understood what it was like to survive in a place like that, one that wasn't afraid to rear its ugly head to no one. When she said she started out as an informant and made her way into the Acadamy from there, Duke's eyes widened slightly at that, impressed at the amount of steps she must have climbed to reach that point. "I'm glad you joined, you're certainly Ranger material, especially while taking care of your son during that."

Duke couldn't help but chuckle softly, "You could say that. My dad was consumed by his work, there's always something happening here. Sometimes he'd be gone for days, leaving me alone with snacks and other treats to feed myself. He always came back but instead of making it up to me with a trip or anything, it turned into how to clean blasters, how to reload, how to coax information out of someone." He shrugged before taking another long gulp of his drink, "After my mom died, he changed from what he used to be. He wanted to teach me how to protect myself since that point." Duke sighed softly, "I know he meant good, he just conveyed it in his own way."

He never spoke about his family much, never really having a reason too and never having someone to share it with. There was Ivy and she knew about his father's death but that was it, they always kept their relationship more work-related. Duke took a sip of his beer before putting his gaze on Trys and having a smirk on his face, as he gave a small kick to her chair, "What's your son's name? He a badass like his mom?" He wondered how she managed to raise a child in all this and if anyone could do it while living this life, they earned Duke's respect.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys listened as he described experiences with his father, thinking about how it compared to her own childhood. There had been no father in her case, but she did have a living mother. The woman never played an active role in her life, and she treated Trys as more of a burden than anything.

“There always appears to be a shortage of good dads,” She said as she took a sip from her beer, “Was the case for me and now my son too. But I suppose I play mom and dad well enough,” She added with a grin. When Duke followed up with asking about her son’s name, she hesitated for just a moment. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to go into it, but that she wasn’t often asked. She didn’t divulge the information and there was never conversation around it.

“Crix,” She said after a moment, “He’s half Zabrak and about as stubborn as he looks,” Trys surmised fondly. It was clear that she had a soft spot for her son, but she didn’t linger on him for too long. If Duke was asking these questions, he would get some in return.

“Haven’t heard you talk about your mother at all,” She pointed out as she finished off her bottle, wondering if there were more. The neighborhood was lively as ever, hobos singing and fighting all around. In the distance, the shrill sirens of rangers could be heard, though now she had doubts they were genuine.

“I think you’ll like walking away from all this,” Trys said as she looked towards the window, “A chance to start new and set the terms you want to set.”

 

[Duke Winters]

She made an accurate comment, at least for a place like this, there were very few figures that children could actually look up to you in this area. Duke knew his dad loved him, at least he believed he did, it was just in his own way. Maybe he was just twisting it to make it appear better but he didn't feel like dissecting that relationship at the moment after everything that happened tonight. He couldn't help but smile at her comment of being both the mom and dad, believing it fully and expecting she did the best she could.

Duke caught her slight pause and he wondered if she had ever told anyone about her son, at least information about him. Taking another swig of his bottle, he chuckled afterward, "Crix, he sounds like a handful." When Trys asked about his mother, he finished his bottle around the same time and stood up to collect hers. When he reached the fridge, he threw the two away before collecting two more and closing it. "I don't remember much about her to be honest. Don't got much to talk about." Her beer was placed on the table as he dropped back into his seat and popped off his cap. "I mean sometimes I'll remember brief moments of her, see her face but she died when I was young. A drunk driver smashed into the driver side of her speeder and she died on impact." Duke took a long sip of his beer after he finished talking, remembering his dad's reaction as he had sat on the sofa lifeless for what felt like days.

He glanced out the window, thankful for the distraction as she commented about him leaving all. "I may go to Naboo, join the Taskforce there. I've never seen an ocean but I always hear people talk about. I think it's one of those things where you just have to see for yourself." Duke had been on Nar Shaddaa most of his life and most recently Dathomir, those two being his only experience of what life was like. A fresh start didn't sound too bad and was probably much needed for him, everywhere on Nar Shadda he was reminded of his father and now the corruption that pulsed through it.

Duke directed his gaze back over to Trys, "What about you? After this, you gonna head back to Coruscant and continue chasing after your flower killer or something else?" He imagined that it was very much like Nar Shadda but more hidden, only revealing itself when someone searches for it. Nobody want's to hear the crown jewel of the galaxy rampant with crime.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys was silently ecstatic for a second beer, but she had been too polite to ask. It felt wonderful to just unwind after such a difficult past few days. She took a swig from the beer as he told her about his mother. She grimaced upon hearing about the crash. It seemed like many Rangers came from very tough backgrounds, though she expected most didn’t have the model family life on Nar Shaddaa.

“I’m surprised your family chose this planet of all places,” Trys said after a while, “It doesn’t seem like a suitable place to raise a family,” She couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to stay, but she figured they simply didn’t have the means to up and leave.

When he mentioned he had never seen an ocean, Trys couldn’t help but stare at him in surprise, “What the hell? Never?” Her eyes were practically popping out, “Boy do you need to get out,” She said with a grin, taking a deep swig of beer.

As she thought about what she would do after this, Trys sighed, “Yeah. The Flower Killer has been giving me a migraine for a long time,” She tapped a fingernail against the side of her bottle, “I always run into walls and the lead always runs cold.”

The thought soured her mood, and she quietly drank more of the beer, wanting to change topics away from the serial killer, “But Naboo is somewhere I’d like to visit,” She thought about it, rubbing her chin, “Maybe I can help you solve a few cases there and we can go check out a beach,” She grinned at the thought, not really picturing him as the sort that liked long walks on the beach.

 

[Duke Winters]

Duke shrugged her shoulders, "I've never asked why we lived here, just accepted it. I kinda assumed they were just born and raised like me." Her question tugged at his mind, why would they choose to live out here? While his family wasn't rich by any means, he always felt they had enough to get by and maybe even to move but it never happened. When his mother died, their family wealth took a hit and it made more sense then but not before. The thoughts were pushed away however, not wanting to think back of his family at the moment.

He wasn't expecting her reaction to his claim that he had never seen the ocean, her eyes suggesting that visiting the ocean was a normal occurrence that happened everywhere. Duke couldn't help but grin with her, "Trust me, I know. I've been in a city my entire life, I think I'm ready for the change." Nar Shaddaa was an untamed and wild place and he's had his fill of city life, wondering what it would feel like to actually stand in an open field instead of an iron jungle that made anybody feel cramped wherever they went. He took another drink of his beer, enjoying the refreshing buzz that swept over him and made him relax more in his chair.

When the Flower Killer was brought up, it dampened Trys mood slightly, the killer still at large and possibly out there right now about to commit his next sin in a long line of many. "What else is new for Ranger cases, huh?" That made Duke take another gulp, their job never easy as the galaxy always seemed to want to throw something their way and watch them fumble around. When she brought up Naboo, Duke laughed at the thought of him at a beach, "I appreciate that and I'll take you up on that. I'm most likely going to need your help in not drowning, I'm not the best of swimmers."

He gazed at Trys for a moment before speaking up, "I hope I'm not overstepping my bounds but you could bring Crix if you want. I'm sure he would enjoy the beach and it's Naboo, shouldn't be too dangerous, a little vacation for both of you." Duke gave a slight tilt of his head before taking a swig, "Just a slight thought." They both have suffered through the same the past few days, maybe she could use a quick change of scenery too. He didn't completely know how protective Trys was of her son, so he didn't know if she would agree to it or not but a beach didn't sound too bad comparing being stuck at home.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys was surprised to hear about his suggestion for a vacation and bringing her son along. She hadn’t really introduced him to any coworkers, and that had been with good reason. Almost everyone back in the Coruscant task force knew about her criminal past, and they looked at her differently. She didn’t want her son to ever see how people saw her, and she made a point to shield him from all of it.

She knew she didn’t need to worry about that with Duke. Not as long as he stayed away from the same office she was in. Trys thought about Crix playing on the beach when he had been a toddler, and she couldn’t help but smile, “He’d probably think a vacation with his mom is incredibly lame,” She said as she drank from the beer, “He’s a cool, young man now or so he thinks.”

Trys looked at Duke and quirked an eyebrow, “What about you? You don’t have any special someones you’d bring on a vacation with you to Naboo?” She couldn’t help but grin, “You know, someone that thinks you love to play the hero,” Trys made a vague reference to Ivy, but it was mostly in jest.

 

[Duke Winters]

Duke smiled back at her, "You think he actually would? I think you may genuinely surprised." The only reason he said that was because even when his dad left for days at a time and didn't say much except for training, Duke still missed him when he left and loved him. Maybe it was because he was mostly alone and just enjoyed the presence of another human being but it still never changed how he felt. "Besides, what lame mom you know fighting off assassins? I haven't heard of many." Both of his eyebrows raised in the air as he took a drink with her, a healthy amount of it gone from his bottle.

When she turned the question on him, he was surprised for a moment before just shaking his head as he knew immediately who she was referring too. He laughed at the image of him and Ivy together, "Oh hell no, it's not like that. I view her more as my younger sister than anything. She's had it rough so I've done my best to look out for her." Like him, her dad was shot and killed, leaving her an orphan and having to fend for herself. That made him have a soft spot for her and vice versa, Ivy knowing that Duke pursued cases longer then he should but never reported them. He most likely would have gotten killed a lot earlier if she had decided to share with others.

It was his turn to flip it around then and he arched an eyebrow at her, "What about you? You have a special someone now or do you plan it just to be you and Crix for a while?" Through his time on Nar Shadda, he had been called out on multiple cases with single mothers who swore off any interaction with men again after their horrible experience. He didn't blame them after hearing their reports and he wondered which side she was on.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys couldn’t help but laugh about his comment about fighting assassins, “Honestly you did most of the fighting,” She recalled the incident, “You saved my life back there,” She paused to meet his gaze for a moment, “I’ll never forget that, Duke, I mean it,” It wasn’t often that Trys had an experience like this. She hadn’t known him long, and he had risked his life to save hers.

She couldn’t help but chuckle again when he quickly deflected back about Ivy. Trys rolled her eyes, not entirely believing it, but she let it slide for now. She could see how he was a loner with how involved he was in cases. It was similar to her own story - it was hard to date a Ranger. Trys finished off her beer, thinking back to how long it had been since she had ever pursued a relationship.

Trys shook her head as he turned the question on her, “I have my hands full enough with my boy,” She said, thinking of how much of a hassle dating was, “Besides, a single mom always screams red flags,” Trys grinned, entirely fine with that reality. She wasn’t in any rush to change her life.

She got up and grabbed both bottles of beers and glanced down at Duke, “We should get some rest. We have a taskforce to kriff with tomorrow,” Trys said with a grin. After helping clean up, she bid him good night and went into the bedroom without protest. If he wanted to offer her the room, she wouldn’t argue.